Hanger

ABSTRACT

A garment hanger comprising a first L-shaped member and a second L-shaped member, said first and second members being provided at the respective corners thereof with pivot pin receiving openings. A split pivot pin locks within the openings, to pivotally join the first and second members together. The short legs of the first and second members arcuately curve to close upon and grip a hanger rod for garment hanging purposes. The weight of the garment pivots the first and second members about the pivot pin to urge the curved legs into tight engagement with the hanger rod. The split pin includes two cooperating members, each of which is provided with a cam surface and an interlocking surface whereby pressing the split pin sections together causes the members to interact along the respective cam surfaces thereof until the interlocking surfaces tightly engage to pivotally lock the first and second members together to form the garment hanger.

United States Patent [191 Ashton [451 Feb. 26, 1974 1 HANGER [76] Inventor: Craig E. Ashton, 2440 Tulip St., [571 ABSTRACT Philadelphia, Pa. 19125 Rosen 223/88 Primary ExaminerGeo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Karl L. Spivak A garment hanger comprising a first L-shaped memher and a second L-shaped member, said first and second members being provided at the respective corners thereof with pivot pin receiving openings. A split pivot pin locks within the openings, to pivotally join the first and second members together. The short legs of the first and second members arcuately curve to close upon and grip a hanger rod for garment hanging purposes. The weight of the garment pivots the first and second members about the pivot pin to urge the curved legs into'tight engagement with the hanger rod. The split pin includes two cooperating members, each of which is provided with a cam surface and an interlocking surface whereby pressing the split pin sections together causes the members to interact along the respective cam surfaces thereof until the interlocking surfaces tightly engage to pivotally lock the first and second members together to form the garment hanger.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures l HANGER BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates generally to the field of garment hangers, and more particularly, it is directed to an attractive, inexpensively made garment hanger of the pivotally connected type.

Garment hangers of various types are well known and have long been used to support articles of clothing such as coats, jackets, shirts and the like within a clothes closet. Most usually, a. horizontal rod was furnished within a closet and the prior art hangers included hook portions which engaged the rod to suspend the hanger and the weight of the carried garments.

It has been a common annoying experience in crowded coat closets to dislodge and drop garments suspended on other hangers within the closet when attempting to place or remove an additional coat hanger into or from the closet. In addition to causing the inconvenience and loss of time attendant with picking up and replacing dropped garments, such dropped garments could be stained, dirtied, creased or otherwise damaged when so inadvertently dropped upon the floor. I

Prior workers in the field have attempted to solve the problem by designing and employing coat hangers having pivotal means and grasping means to engage the hanger rod in a manner to prevent accidental disengagement. US. Pat. Nos. 2,500,729 and 2,352,264 are exemplary of such prior art devices. However, all prior art pivotal type hangers with which I am familiar completely encircle the hanger rod in a relatively loose manner and so freely permit axial movement of the hanger relative to the hanger rod. All of the gravitational forces generated by the weight of the supported clothing act only vertically upon the supporting hanger rod.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the field of garment hangers and more particularly, is directed to a pivotal type hanger which employs a pair of pivotally interconnected hanger members which'terminate in arcuately curved hanger engaging portions which securely affix to the hanger rod by employing gravitational forces generated by the supported garment.

The present invention includes a first L-shaped member and a second .L-shaped member which are pivotally interconnected to form a simple, decorative and novel hanger construction. Preferably, all of the parts are manufactured of molded or otherwise formed plastic materials such as decoratively colored sheet acrylic which has been formed to the desired shape. Each first and second member is generally L-shaped in configuration and has an elongate garment contacting leg and a short, curved, hanger rod contacting leg. The first and second members are each provided with an opening at the respective intersections of the legs to receive a split pivot pin therein. The first and second members freely pivot about the pivot pin and tightly engagethe stationary hanger rod.

The split pivot pin sections each terminate outwardly in a flange which engages the hole of one of the hanger members and includes a split insertion portion which is formed with a cam face and a locking ledge. The combined diameter of the split pin section insertion por- 2 tions is substantially equal to the diameter of the holes in the hanger members to thereby permit the split sections to slide inwardly upon-the respective cam surfaces until the interlocking ledges lock upon each other to unify the construction.

The geometry of the device is such that the weight of a garment upon the garment legs pivots the first and second portions about the split pivot to urge the hanger rod legs into tight engagement with the hanger rod to thereby securely carry the supported garment. The arcuately curved hanger rod legs serve to impress both horizontally acting and vertically acting forces upon the hanger rod to thereby clamp the hanger in position.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved garment hanger of the type set forth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel hanger that includes a first L-shaped member and a second L-shaped member, the said first and second members being pivotally interconnected for garment hanging purposes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide. a novel garment hanger that includes first and second L-shaped members which pivotally interconnect, portions of the L-shaped members being arcuately formed to securely grasp. a hanger rod.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel garment hanger having first and second L- shaped members which are pivotally interconnected, portions of the L-shaped members being arcuately bent to form hanger rod legs, the said hanger rod legs being urged more tightly into engagement. with a hanger rod by the weight of the supported garment.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel hanger which includes a first and second L-shape'd members which pivotally interconnect to form a pivotal garment hanger, each said first and second member being provided with a pivot opening at the respective interconnected corners thereof, said openings receiving a split pivot pin therein which serves the dual purpose of acting as a pivot between the L-shaped members and also in joining the L-shaped members together. t

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel garment hanger which incorporates identical but opposite L-shaped members and a split pivot pin interconnecting the L-shaped members, the said split pin having similar semi-cylindrical pin sections, each pin section having a cam surface and an interlocking ledge for locking the L-shaped members together.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel garment hanger that is inexpensive-in manufacture, rugged in construction and trouble free when in use.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the inven,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 isa perspective view of the invention with'a garment and the hanger rod shown in broken lines for purposes of association.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the hanger as applied to a hanger rod.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 2 showing the hanger being removed from the hanger rod.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial, exploded view showing the operating elements of the hanger.

- FIG. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along Line 5-5 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is an exploded, sectional view of the elements of FIG. 5. x

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the position of the parts as they are being urged together.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms-are intended to refer only to the particular structure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

' Referring now to FIG. 1, I show a garment hanger l0 which incorporates a pair of right and left L-shaped base corners 28,30 from an open position 32 as in FIG.

3 to a closed and a locked position 34 as in FIG. 2. The respective hanger rod legs 20,22 arcuately bend inwardly to form opposed curved surfaces 36,38 which are configured to encircle the hanger rod 26 and to press thereagainst. It is noteworthy that the hanger rod legs 20,22 terminate upwardly in ends 40,42 which do not touch when the hanger 10 is applied to the hanger rod 26 and define a space 41 therebetween when in the closed position 34. In this manner, all pivotal forces which are generated by the weight of the garment 24 itself are applied radially inwardly against the hanger rod 26 by the arcuate surfaces 36, 38 for hanger supporting purposes. It is noteworthy that the hanger rod legs 20, 22 extend more than 180 about the periphery of the hanger rod 26 to thereby prevent the hanger 10 from being pulled downwardly out of engagement with the hanger rod 26 by the weight of the garment 24. All of the gravitational force generated by the weight of the garment 24 are radially applied against the hanger 26 by the arcuately curved surfaces 36,38. These radially applied forces may by broken into horizontal and vertical vectors. It can thus be readily determined that the hanger 10 serves the dual purposes of supporting the garment by the hanger reaction to the vertical vector forces and of clamping the hanger to the rod by the hanger reaction to the horizontal vector forces.

Referring now to FIG. 4, each right and left L-shaped member 12,14 is provided at the respective base corners 28,30 with a flattened bearing area 44,46 which rotatively slide upon each other when the hanger is pivoted. Respective shoulders 48,50,52 define the boundaries of the bearing areas 44, 46 and limit the rotative movement of the L-shaped members 12,14 relative to each other when the hanger is pivoted. Each base corner 28,30 is pierced to form a pivot opening 54,56 to operatively receive the split pivot pin 58 therein.

The split pivot pin 58 comprises cooperating, identical, split pin halves 58A, 585, each of which includes a circular flange 60 and a generally semi-cylindrical body portion 62. Each body portion includes a forward, inclined cam face 64 to facilitate fabrication of the hanger. Each cam face 64 terminates rearwardly in a locking ledge 66 which serves to positively connect the split pin halves 58A, 588 within cylindrical channel formed by the openings 54,56 when properly aligned to receive the split pivot pin 58 therein. The combined diameter of the semi-cylindrical body portions 62 of the pin halves 58A,58B is substantially equal to the diameter of the openings 54,56 when fully assembled to thereby act as a bearing when one member 12 is pivoted relative to the other member 14. The cam faces 64A,64B are cut in a manner to tend to force the body portions 62A,62B apart and to assume a larger diameter when thepin halves 58A,58B are pushed together in the direction of the arrows (FIGS. 6 and 7) until the locking ledges 66A, 66B interlock as in FIG. 5. Either the bearing areas 44, 46 or the split halves 58A, 588 must be fabricated of material that is sufficiently resilient to permit the cam faces 64A, 643 to slide relative to each other when the hanger 10 is being assembled and then to return to the initial condition when the locking ledges 66 interlock to thereby lock the L- shaped members l2, 14 together. The operating parts of the pivot pin halves 58A, 58B are identically formed and have been indicated with the respective suffixes A and B in FIGS. 4-7.

In order to assemble the invention, the L-shaped members 12, 14 are positioned with the pivot openings 54, 56 aligned and with the respective flattened bearing areas 44, 46 in face to face contact. The split pivot pin halves 58A, 58B are then urged'together within the openings 54, 56 until the respective cam faces 64A, 64B are in contact. Continuous inward urging in the direction of the arrows (FIG. 7) causes the'cam surfaces to slide relative to each other and to spread the body portions 62A, 628 to bias against the outer periphery of the pivot openings 54, 56. Preferably, the split pivot pin is fabricated of material that is resilient enough to urge the bearingareas'44, 46 into face to face sliding contact.

In use, the right and left members 12, 14 are pivoted upwardly about the split pivot pin 58 a distance sufficient to spread the ends 40, 42 until the space 41 is greater than the diameter of the rod 26. The hanger rod legs 20, 22 can then be applied upwardly over the hanger rod until the arcuate surfaces 36, 38 are in position to contact the rod 26. The members 12, 14 are then downwardly pivoted about the pin 58 and the arcuate surfaces engage the rod to secure the hanger 10 in position. A garment 24 can then be applied to the respective garment legs l6, 18 in the usual manner. It will be noted that the weight of the garment acts to pivot the members 12, 14 downwardly about the pin 58 to thereby increase the pressure of the gripping action of the arcuate surfaces 36, 38 against the periphery of the hanger rod 26. The greater the weight of the garment, the greater the gripping pressure that. will be developed. It is noteworthy that the hanger rod legs 20, 22 wrap partially about the hanger rod through an arc of more than 180 so that the gravitational forces generated by the weight of thegarment will be applied to the upper half of the rod. Due to the gripping action of the legs 20, 22, forces are applied radially inwardly upon the rod 26, thereby clamping the hanger to the rod. It

will be noted that forces applied against the rod are horizontal, vertical and the horizontal and vertical vectors of the radially applied forces.

Although I have described the present invention with reference to particular embodiments therein set forth, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the cope of the invention should not be limited by the foregoing-specification, but rather only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claim: 1. In a hanger suitable to suspend articles of clothing from a hanger rod, the combination of A. a first L-shaped member and a second L-shaped member. 1. each L-shaped member having a garment leg and a hanger rod leg, 2. said L-shaped members being pivotally joined together and being pivotal from an open position to a closed position; B. gripping means provided in the hanger rod legs to engage the hangerrod,

1. said means imparting both horizontal and vertical forces upon the hanger rod; and C. a split pivot pin joining the said L-shaped members, l. the said L-shaped members having pivotal move- 6 ment relative to each other about the split pivot pin from an open position to a closed and locked position. t

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the split pivot pin comprises a pair of identical split pivot pin halves, said halves having a separate position when not in use and a locked position when in use.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein each half 'comprises a circular flange and a generally semi-cylindrical body portion and wherein each body portion includes a forward, inclined cam face, the cam faces respectively sliding upon each other as the pivot 'pin is urged from the separate position to the locked position to join the L-shaped members.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein each cam face terminates rearwardly in a locking ledge, the said locking ledges interlocking when the pivot pin halves are urged to the said locked position.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the said gripping means include arcuately curved surfaces in the hanger rod legs, portions of the said arcuately curved surfaces contacting the hanger rod and applying radially directed forces thereto.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the arcuately curved surfaces extend about the hanger rod through a combined arc of more than I 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein each hanger rod leg terminates upwardly in an end and wherein the respective ends of the hanger rod legs define a space 

1. In a hanger suitable to suspend articles of cloThing from a hanger rod, the combination of A. a first L-shaped member and a second L-shaped member.
 1. each L-shaped member having a garment leg and a hanger rod leg,
 2. said L-shaped members being pivotally joined together and being pivotal from an open position to a closed position; B. gripping means provided in the hanger rod legs to engage the hanger rod,
 1. said means imparting both horizontal and vertical forces upon the hanger rod; and C. a split pivot pin joining the said L-shaped members,
 1. the said L-shaped members having pivotal movement relative to each other about the split pivot pin from an open position to a closed and locked position.
 2. said L-shaped members being pivotally joined together and being pivotal from an open position to a closed position; B. gripping means provided in the hanger rod legs to engage the hanger rod,
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the split pivot pin comprises a pair of identical split pivot pin halves, said halves having a separate position when not in use and a locked position when in use.
 3. The invention of claim 2 wherein each half comprises a circular flange and a generally semi-cylindrical body portion and wherein each body portion includes a forward, inclined cam face, the cam faces respectively sliding upon each other as the pivot pin is urged from the separate position to the locked position to join the L-shaped members.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein each cam face terminates rearwardly in a locking ledge, the said locking ledges interlocking when the pivot pin halves are urged to the said locked position.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the said gripping means include arcuately curved surfaces in the hanger rod legs, portions of the said arcuately curved surfaces contacting the hanger rod and applying radially directed forces thereto.
 6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the arcuately curved surfaces extend about the hanger rod through a combined arc of more than 180*.
 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein each hanger rod leg terminates upwardly in an end and wherein the respective ends of the hanger rod legs define a space therebetween when the hanger is moved to its said closed and locked position.
 8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the said space positions vertically above the hanger rod.
 9. The invention of claim 8 wherein the said horizontal and vertical forces are generated by the weight of the clothing supported by the hanger, the heavier the clothing, the greater the forces and the tighter the hanger is gripped to the hanger rod. 